Book Chat - 8/5/2021

I’m still in vacay mode.

The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth

Lucy has a complicated relationship with her mother-in-law Diana. When Diana turns up dead, things really heat up. Great read!

Leave the World Behind by Roman Alam

The novel deals with answering who and what can you trust in the face of adversity. As I was reading the book, I wasn’t particularly enjoying the story. I kept reading because I wanted to know what was going on. I need my answers, after all. The very last chapter brought it all home, but I still feel cheated in some way.

  

Paper Doll Lina by Robin Lucas

Lina is in an abusive marriage, but she doesn’t necessarily realize it. She knows she’s not really happy, but it takes a stranger to open her eyes. It was good.

MK out.

Book Chat - 7/29:2021

I’m back with some selections I think most will enjoy:

Before and After: The Incredible Real-Life Stories of Orphans Who Survived The Tennessee Children’s Home Society by Judy Christie and Lisa Wingate

I know I told y’all about Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate. It was a novel based on the scandal of the Tennessee Children’s Home Society. It was about children were taken from their birth parents by nefarious means and sold/adopted out. After she wrote the book, the author started hearing from people who were affected by the operation in real life. She and her friend, Julie Christie record the accounts and it led to this book.

Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber

The book is about a girl who has to go settle her grandmother’s estate, thinking it would be a quick task. However, the will stipulates that she must run her grandmother’s cafe for sixty days after which, she can decide about its disposition. It’s a cute romantic comedy with a some magic mixed in. If you like Hallmark movies, you will like this book.

The Magic of Found Objects by Maddie Dawson

Two life-long friends, who’ve been unlucky in love, decide to get married. They are both in their mid-thirties and tired of the New York dating scene. They think that skipping the fireworks part of the relationship and settling down to the comfortable part will be a piece of cake because they know each other so well. Very cute!

MK out.

WIP Wednesday - 7/28/2021

It’s been a while since I’ve shown you all my latest project. 

I’m working on another Elwood. It makes such a darling grumpy old man sweater for a little one. 

I’m using scraps of Cascade 220 Superwash from other projects.

MK out.

Movie Monday - 7/26/2021

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, starring Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo is a very silly, little movie about two Midwestern women who go off on an adventure. It was funny, but again, silly. It hit a spot. 

 

Amy Adams stars in The Woman in the Window, adapted from the novel of the same name. An agoraphobic women witnesses a crime committed across the street at her neighbors’ house, but the neighbors deny anything happened. Were her eyes deceiving her? It was good.

Echo in the Canyon is a documentary about the music scene in the mid-1960s. It was very interesting. I learned some things and gained an appreciation for some groups like The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield and even, The Beach Boys. It’s hosted by Jakob Dylan (who looks and sounds like his daddy, Bob). I enjoyed it.

Good Binges:

Mare of Easttown (HBOmax)

The Kominsky Method (Netflix)

Younger (Hulu)

Hacks (HBOMax)

Virgin River (Netflix)

That’s all I got. 

MK out.

Book Chat - 7/8/2021

Since I’ve been on vacay, I’ve been able to read more than usual.

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles 

This novel is based on the true story of the librarians of the American Library in Paris during World War II. They sent care packages of books to soldiers, and would bring books to their Jewish patrons when they were forbidden to come in to the library. 

The Story Hour by Thrity Umrigar

The book examines the relationship between a psychologist and her patient.

Rage by Bob Woodward

Woodward returns to document the Trump Administration’s management of the Coronavirus pandemic.

MK out.

P.S. I remembered that this week marks my 14th Blogiversary. It all started with this post.

Book Chat - 6/24/2021

Even if y’all didn’t know, I’ve read quite a few books over the last many weeks.

Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton                               In her second book, Doyle shares about her marriage to Craig Melton. It’s more chronological than the first book. It is full of many inspirational pearls. 

Untamed by Glennon Doyle 

In this third book, Doyle writes about her meeting and then subsequent marriage to Abby Waumbach. 

The Woman in the Window by AJ Finn

An agoraphobic woman spends her days drinking, watching old movies and spying on her neighbors. Things go south when she sees something she shouldn't have.

The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak tells the stories of an Armenian American girl, a Turkish girl, their families and a secret connected to the Armenian genocide.

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

This novel is about an apothecary who lived in 1700s London, making poisons for women to use against the oppressive men in their lives AND about  a present day woman who finds a clue to solving the mystery of the Apothecary Murders of long ago.

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

Set during the Great Depression of the 1930s, the story follows a family trying to survive at all costs. 

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

A family starts to fall apart after the death of one of the children.

In The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth the more responsible twin has spent her life protecting the other from their psycho mother. The book examines lies that bind. 

Spoonbenders by Daryl Gregory is about a family with different psychic abilities. 

All were very good. Spoonbenders was fun.

MK out.

Movie Monday - 6/21/2021

People! I have many movies on the “to watch” list, but as I was mentioning to friends recently, I haven’t been feeling “it.” You name it, and I’m not doing it.

I did rewatch Pieces of April the other day. This film may have been the first time I noticed Katie Holmes. I like her. She’s a pretty good actress. Patricia Clarkson, one of my all time faves stars in this film too, and she was really good, as usual. I liked it the first time and I liked it this time. It’s about the black sheep hosting her somewhat estranged family for Thanksgiving. The story is sweet and the characters are awesome. 

MK out.